Submitted by: kirkland on Monday November 06th, 2006 at 10:44 PM EST

Microsoft is the latest company to jump into the business of downloadable movies and television shows, but it's using a device no one else has: the Xbox 360 video-game machine.

The company has announced that it plans to offer movie rentals and full purchases of television shows, joining Apple Computer, Amazon.com and other rivals in vying for the "what do you want to watch tonight" entertainment dollar.

Other companies mostly download videos to the personal computer, and have struggled to find ways to easily move that content to the television screen. Although there are cables for sale that connect a PC to a television, buying and using one can present a barrier for consumers.

Microsoft is avoiding that problem by going straight to the Xbox 360 with its content. Console owners with a broadband Internet connection can download the videos directly to the 20-gigabyte hard drive on the Xbox 360, which is already connected to a television in most homes.

» Full story @ Seattle Times